NT Reporter Mapusa
Co-owners of Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, arrested in connection with the Arpora fire tragedy that claimed 25 lives, were produced before the judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) court, Mapusa on Wednesday, which remanded them to five-day police custody.
During the hearing, the Anjuna police requested the court to remand the brothers to 10-day police custody. However, the court declined the request, sending the brothers to five-day custody.
JMFC Puja Sardesai also rejected Luthra brothers’ demands, which included ‘special consideration’ citing health issues as also a mattress demanded due to back pain. The accused had also requested not to grant remand on medical grounds.
The brothers were brought to Goa from Delhi on Wednesday morning after being deported from Thailand. They landed at Manohar international airport at Mopa from Delhi, and were taken out of the airport premises under police protection.
The police took the Luthra brothers to Siolim primary health centre for a medical check-up. However, after the initial check-up, the duo were referred to North Goa District Hospital, where some X-ray scans were conducted on them.
Later, the brothers were taken to Anjuna police station, where a heavy police force had been deployed since morning.
They were produced before the JMFC court around 3.30 pm. During the hearing, Saurabh complained that he had a ‘tailbone issue’, while Gaurav informed the lower court that he was experiencing numbness in his left leg.
Citing health issues, the duo demanded that they be given special considerations. After the hearing, court directed that the accused be again sent for a fresh medical examination to the district hospital to check on their health condition.
After the medical examination, the court was informed that the brothers are medically fit. Following which, their demands were rejected by the court, which directed the police to provide all the medicines prescribed by doctors on time.
Advocate Vishnu Joshi, appearing on behalf of Bhavana Joshi who lost four of her family members in the nightclub inferno, said during the hearing that the Luthra brothers were seeking special considerations citing health issues, “which were opposed by the state prosecution and also by us”.
“We have prayed that no extra relaxation should be given to them. There are 25 victims’ families. This is a mass genocide tragedy,” Vishnu Joshi said.
He further added that since the brothers persistently spoke about medical conditions, the court ordered a re-examination of their health. After the medical examination, it was clear that they didn’t need any special considerations. Hence, the court decided against giving any relaxation and granted a five-day remand, Vishnu Joshi said.
The brothers will now be produced again before the JMFC on December 22.
After the fire tragedy in Arpora village, the Anjuna police had registered a case against the brothers on various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The brothers were arrested in Delhi on Tuesday after being deported from Thailand. The Goa Police had taken the Luthra brothers into their custody on arrival at Delhi airport. They had first been medically examined and then were produced before the Patiala court. There, the court had granted a 48-hour transit remand.
The duo had fled to Phuket in Thailand early on December 7, hours after the fire at their nightclub, prompting the authorities to issue an Interpol Blue Corner Notice and cancel their passports.
They were detained by Thai authorities at Phuket on December 11 following a request from the Indian government, which later coordinated with officials in Thailand to deport them under legal treaties between the two nations.
Five managers and staff members of the nightclub have already been arrested by the police in connection with the fire.
